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Reactions at Christ’s Coming
1 Jn. 2:28-29
Introduction

The coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is sure and imminent. He will meet us in the air. We
call this the rapture of the saints. Right after the rapture, all the saved will be at the “Judgement Seat
of Christ”. Salvation is not the issue here, for salvation is already settled once you repented from
your sins and receive Christ as your personal saviour. Believers will be judged according to his works,
words, thoughts, secrets and motives. To John, there will only be two reactions that the saved
people of God will show. For some believers who is waiting and watching His coming, they knew that
they will stand in front of the Lord humbly but with great expectations. For others, His coming is a
shameful day for they know that they did not live the way that they should. Let’s continue our study
on this short and beautiful epistle about the two reactions of Christians at His coming. Once again at
the start of our text, John uses the term “little children”. Again, this term refers to all believers in
God’s family. The two reactions are:

I. Confidence (1 Jn. 2:28)
A. Confidence here is the assurance that all will be well, state of being certain,
boldness, frankness, bluntness.
B. This confidence, boldness or frankness is used to describe as bold freedom of speech
as shown below:
1. The boldness of Joseph of Arimathea in claiming the body of Jesus. Mk. 15:23
2. The way Paul and Barnabas spoke after the Jews rejected the gospel of salvation
telling them they will now go to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46)
3. The boldness of Peter and John in speaking at the Jewish council (Acts 4:13).
C. True or real believers at present, can in Christ have this boldness
1. “boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him”. Eph. 3:12
2. Bold access to the throne of God to obtain mercy and grace to help in time of
need. Heb. 4:14-16.
D. Will you be bold enough to face the Lord when He comes?
E. Do you have the confidence to be in front of the Lord?
F. What are we supposed to do now as we wait for His return?
1. We must live a holy life.
2. Walk closer to the Lord
3. We must do our best to please Him daily in our thoughts, words, and actions.
4. Be more diligent in studying His Word.
G. Let us remember that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will give His faithful
servants rewards. (Mt. 16:27, 1 Cor. 3:14, Rev. 22:12). Do you look forward to the
day that you will receive your reward? Do you have the confidence also that you will
have your reward or rewards?
H. What would be your response when He tells you “Well done, thou good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”?

Illustration 1: Jesus Is Mayor’s “Way”
Lincoln Steffens once wrote a magazine article based on an interview with Mark Fagan, who was at
the time mayor of Jersey City. N. J. Steffens asked Fagan several searching questions—how he stood
up against corruption and graft, how he withstood the temptations of offered bribes, how he was
able to face the opposition of those who ridiculed and smeared him. Fagan’s one answer to most of
the questions was simply, “I have a way.”
Finally, Steffens got Fagan to tell what his “way” was. His answer was very simple. He pointed to a
picture of Christ on the wall of his office and, referring to John 14:6, said, “He is the way.”
—Baptist Leader

Illustration 2: The Boy Scout
A noted brain surgeon, Dr. Bronson Ray, was taking a stroll when he saw a boy on a scooter smash
headfirst into a tree. Realizing that the boy was seriously injured, the doctor told a bystander to call
an ambulance. As he proceeded to administer first aid, a boy not much older than the injured one
nudged through the crowd that had gathered and said to Dr. Ray, “I’d better take over now, sir. I’m a
Boy Scout and I know first aid,” (Anonymous).

II. Shame
A. From Strong’s Greek Dictionary, the word means from aischos (disfigurement, i.e.
disgrace); to feel shame (for oneself):—be ashamed.
B. As I see it, it is the opposite of being bold or blunt. The lack of confidence.
C. As I have mentioned earlier, when a true believer faces the Lord at the “Judgement
Seat” salvation will not the issue but how you live as a Christian.
D. Why will a Christian feel ashamed when the Lord comes?
1. Maybe there’s an unconfessed sin in the believer’s life
2. Maybe the believer was not so faithful to the ministry or service he was given to do.
3. Maybe your motives in serving involves intention of being famous and gain something.
4. Maybe your thoughts are not so pure
5. Maybe some of the words we have spoken are shameful and can cause some to stumble.
6. Maybe you are dishonest in some of your dealings with other people.
7. Maybe you are too proud. God hates pride.
E. The message is very clear. John doesn’t want us to be ashamed when the Lord comes.
F. If the Lord suddenly comes today, can you face him confidently knowing you did
what you could to obey and serve Him, or face Him in shame because you lived
carelessly and did your duty half-heartedly.
G. A careless Christian can lose his rewards but not his salvation. It’s a shame that lots
of believers will get their rewards but you have none. (1 Cor. 3:13-15).

Illustration 3: Ashamed at his Appearing
Donald Grey Barnhouse told a story he read in a London newspaper about a divorce case heard in
the courts of that city. A wealthy young man had gone away to war soon after he was married. His
new bride wrote him of the demanding schedule she had to keep as a nurse in a certain hospital.
Apologizing for her infrequent writing, she explained that she was spending a great deal of time with
the wounded. Some months later when the man was scheduled for leave, a friend suggested, “Don’t
announce your coming. Slip in quietly.”
Arriving in London, the young man went directly to the hospital, but his wife was not there. He then
went to their house, where he was told by the servants, “Oh, she will probably be at the tea dance at
the Ritz.” Going there, he found her in the company of another man. How shocked and ashamed she
was at her husband’s appearing! Our Daily Bread, 9-17-90

III. Apostle John’s advice
A. Abide in Christ,
1. To abide means to remain; to reside; to wait for (Gen. 19:2; 22:5; 29:19). To
hold out; to endure (2 Chr. 32:10; Jer. 10:10).
2. The word “abide” as used by John in the gospel and in this epistle, and for me is
a command not a request.
3. How can we show that we are abiding in Christ?
a. By not practicing sin. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not” (1 John 3:6).
b. By keeping God’s Commandments.” And he that keepeth his
commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that
he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us”. (1 John 3:24).
c. By bearing fruit. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing. (John 15:5).
d. By loving each other. “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and
there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (1 John 2:10).
e. By walking as Christ walked. “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself
also so to walk, even as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
f. By continuing in Christ’s Word. Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;(
John 8:31)
g. By our faithfulness to God’s Truth. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye
have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the
beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the
Father. (1 John 2:24)

Illustration 4: “Abide with Me”
This beloved hymn of comfort and trust was written by a pastor who was sickly and unwell most of
the time. He pastored a seashore church in England among the rough sailors and uncultured
villagers. And this made outsiders often wonder. But they loved him and he loved the work.
However, health finally left him and the doctor advised him to retreat to sunny southern Europe,
and he prepared to sail,
The last Sunday before leaving, although he had no strength to stand up and preach, yet he forced
himself and preached among his weeping people. That evening, by the light of the evening sun, he
wrote these words:

Abide with me, Fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!

He sailed, but died abroad within that year.

Illustration 5: More Favorite Hymns
Of the estimated 400,000 Christian hymns that have been published, fewer than 500 are in common
use and only 150 of them are well-known by churchgoers. To determine their popularity in this
country, a poll was made, not long ago, which disclosed that four hymns alone constituted the first
choice of 20,384 of the 30,000 churchgoers questioned. And the relative popularity of these four
outstanding favorites is shown by the following figures. For every 100 persons whose first choice
was “Abide with Me,” the hymn that led, 75 preferred “Nearer My God to Thee,” 57 preferred “Lead,
Kindly Light” and 47 preferred “Rock of Ages.”
Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times

B. By living a righteous life (1 Jn. 2:29)
1. We must walk in righteousness. You can only do this is you have a genuine
personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. A truly born-again Christian will live righteously according top the Word of God.
Many people profess to be Christian by doing humanitarian works but no
personal relation with the Lord Jesus Christ. Their righteousness falls short of
God’s standard.
3. By our faith in Christ, we are declared righteous by God. Though we are actually
worthy of damnation, we are made righteous (Is. 61:10) by Jesus’ sacrifice on
the cross. As a result, will spend eternity in the presence of the holy, pure,
loving, kind, gentle, and righteous God. Our righteousness.

IV. Conclusion:
Abide in Christ so we can be ready to meet Him at His coming. It is better to be confident
than be ashamed. The choice is always yours. My prayer is that all of us will be confident
and ready when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ comes.

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